554: link to a domain on the Spamhaus DBL
GMX refused the message because it links to a domain listed on the Spamhaus Domain Block List (DBL). The listing has to be resolved at Spamhaus.
- GMX, WEB.DE
- Provider
- Permanent (5xx)
- Class
- Sources checked
- Author
At a glance
- Code
- 554
- Provider
- GMX, WEB.DE and mail.com
- Temporary or permanent
- PermanentRefused for good: the message comes back to the sender, and resending it gets the same answer.
- Who has to act
- The sender. The fix is on the sending side: your domain, your server or your list.
- What the server says
554 Transaction failed
What it means
The Spamhaus DBL lists domains found in spam, including the ones linked in message bodies. Case r2502 means a URL in your message uses a domain on the DBL, so GMX refuses the message with 554. As with the other Spamhaus cases, GMX does not make exceptions. Check the domain at check.spamhaus.org, which shows whether it is still listed and how delisting works. Until then, removing or replacing the link is the only way to get the message through.
Common causes
- A domain you link to, perhaps your own, was used in spam.
- A shared tracking or shortener domain in the message is listed.
- The linked domain is newly registered and was flagged as suspicious.
How to fix it
- 01Find the linked domain that is listed by checking each one at check.spamhaus.org.
- 02Remove or replace the link to send the message now.
- 03If the domain is yours, fix the cause and follow the Spamhaus delisting process.
Sources
What this page rests on, checked on 20 Oct 2026. The explanation is ours; the reply text is the server's.
Related codes
- 554Link to a URL on a GMX blocklist.GMX refused the message because it contains a URL that is on one of the GMX blocklists. Remove the link or have the listing reviewed.
- 550Sender domain on a Spamhaus blocklist.GMX refused your mail because your envelope or From domain is listed on a Spamhaus blocklist. GMX makes no exceptions; the listing must be removed at Spamhaus.
- 554Transaction failed.The server permanently refused the transaction, often after receiving the message data or straight away when the connection opened.
554 at other providers
- 554Permanent rejection (554).Yahoo or AOL rejected the message for good with a 554. Yahoo uses this code for several problems, from failed authentication to unacceptable content, so the wording of the reply tells you which.
- 554Failed authentication.Yahoo or AOL refused the message because it failed the checks that confirm the sending domain, such as DKIM against the domain's policy. Yahoo lists this among its permanent 553 and 554 errors.
- 554Recipient does not exist.The Yahoo or AOL account you wrote to does not exist. The failure is permanent: check the address with the recipient, and remove it from any list.
- 554No reverse DNS (PTR) record.Xfinity refused the connection because your sending IP has no PTR record. Every server sending to Xfinity needs valid reverse DNS, so the owner of the IP must add one.
- 554No reverse DNS for your IP.IONOS refused your mail because the IP address of your mail server has no domain name assigned to it in DNS (no PTR record).
- 554Reverse DNS does not meet IONOS policy.IONOS refused your mail because the PTR record of your IP does not meet its policy, typically a generic or dynamic-looking provider name.
Further reading
All 57 GMX, WEB.DE codesEvery code in the wikiPaste your own bounce